Visit Pierre Hermé's new concept store in Paris

It started a long time ago. This is the story of a meeting with Olivier Baussan more than 20 years ago. Olivier is one of those beautiful encounters where everyone has the impression of having known each other forever. Since then, we have not left. We spend a lot of time together. It was he who made me discover Corsica that I like so much today. He also introduced me to Reinold Geiger, the president of Occitane. The latter had in mind for some time to open a place on the Champs-Elysees. He proposed this project a little crazy. We were crazy enough to say yes.

This is neither a place quite Occitane, nor a place quite Pierre Hermé. It's a concept store. A unique experience of its kind. A singular place illustrating the osmosis of two houses united around common values. That's why we named this place 86. We needed a generic name. The number of his address was ideal.

That it was great to open a place on the Champs-Elysées where you could find pastries, macaroons, chocolates, with new proposals such as "minute" desserts or coffee initiation. It is an extremely symbolic address for a brand. A great crossing place mixing Parisians, foreigners, provincials ...

It's completely the chance of life. I did not try to settle there. It happened naturally.

In Paris, yes. There is already a Pierre Hermé tea salon in Tokyo. But it's the first one that offers a salty menu.

Of course, there are all the pastries of Pierre Hermé's house. The typology of the place to go further, I worked on a more dense dessert menu with new experiences. There is for example, the millefeuille "minute" made in front of the customer, the frozen cuts, the desserts to be drunk as well as an invitation to be initiated "with the taste, the texture and the temperature" with an instant dessert that I particularly like it. It's for two and made at your table by a Pastry Chef. Customers will be able to make beautiful pictures ...

Oh yes, that's right, it's a highly unstoppable dessert!

I wanted a very simple card with 6 starters, 6 dishes, like quiches, croque-monsieurs, a club sandwich, pie and omelettes. But on the map, the point is clear enough, we first desserts and to accompany them, there are some salty dishes.

I had a lot of fun imagining this card. More or less Parisian, more or less detox, more or less vegetarian ... It is very varied, yes. I wanted to answer all the desires. A tip, try the tasty milk with soy milk. It is really delicious. For the most skeptical, I challenge them to guess that this is not cow's milk.

Maybe that's why we get along well, actually.

Nature

Modern and warm

Taste

Yes, it's a good summary of what 86 is.

All foodies around the world I imagine.